WEBVTT
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This program is made
possible by the giving
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of the God called partners
of Renner Ministries.
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Get ready for a teaching
that feeds your spirit
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and your mind, where the word
is the anchor in uncertain
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times and doctrine
doesn't bend to culture.
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We keep it simple,
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but dive deep revealing a
truth that strengthens us,
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a love that emboldens,
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and a mission that touches the world.
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Let's join Rick Renner.
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Welcome to today's program.
My name is Rick Renner.
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We have had quite a week as
we've been studying Christmas,
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The Rest of the Story,
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and as you can see on the
screen behind me today,
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we're gonna be talking
about the holy moment
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that took place in
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that cave when Jesus was born nearly
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2000 years ago.
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All of this teaching is
in my brand new series,
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which is called Christmas,
The Rest of the Story.
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the subtitle says, Amazing Insights about Christmas
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you've never heard before.
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Have you been hearing things
you've never heard before?
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Well, my friends, we
have really worked just
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to put a banquet of revelation
on the table in front of you,
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but all of it is in this
brand new series, which comes
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with such a great study guide.
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The study guide is just filled
with all of this information.
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You'll love it because you'll be able
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to read it while you're listening
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or while you're seeing the series.
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And we're also offering
you right now my book
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by the same title.
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I really want you to have this
book and please order several
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because this is definitely
a gift you're going to want
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to give to your friends
and to your family.
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Christmas, The Rest of the Story. The back of the book says,
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There's more to this story than you've been told.
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When I discovered all of these details
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that I had never heard, I was thrilled.
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And for years I've been
teaching it to our own family
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and to our grandchildren,
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and now we've put it all in this book,
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which is marvelously illustrated.
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Every page is full color.
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This book is such a treasure
and I want you to get it.
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And by the way, you can
order all of these things
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by going online or by
giving us a call right now.
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And when you reach out to us,
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please let us know how to pray for you.
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We're praying people
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and we want to get into agreement with you. Jesus said,
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in Matthew 18:19, if two of you will agree
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as touching anything, I'll do it.
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We'll get into agreement with you
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and Jesus will do his part.
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He'll do it, but we need
to get into agreement
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and we do that when we know how to pray.
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So reach out to us by calling right now
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or by sending an email to us
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and we'll begin to pray with you.
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But hey, I want you to watch this
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and then I'll be right back.
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Do you think you know the Christmas story: a babe
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and a manger, 3-wise men and a few lowly shepherds?
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But did you know that's just part
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of the story. In Rick Renner's
timeless new book, Christmas,
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The Rest of the Story, Rick uncovers the stunning details
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of the nativity story
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you've never heard like -
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How many wise men there could have been:
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How far they would've traveled -
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and -Why Herod was troubled at the news at the
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birth of a new king.
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When I was growing up, I
heard the same Christmas story
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year after year,
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and I loved it. When I got older,
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I found treasures in the Christmas story
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that no one had shared with me.
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That's what is in this book,
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and I wrote it to share with you
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and for you to share
with those whom you love.
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When you call or go online
right now to order this book
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for just $45,
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you'll receive the timeless
story of Christmas
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now beautifully told in this
landmark Christmas keepsake.
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Through his detailed watercolor illustration, Christmas,
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The Rest of the Story, invites families
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to explore the true meaning
of Christmas as they interact
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with the story across the stunning hand-drawn pages.
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Bound in a hardcover large format book,
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you'll create a family tradition that will last
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for generations. Great as a gift
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or for enhancing your own traditions,
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order the book today - Christmas, The Rest of the Story
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for just $45.
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Call now or go to renner.org to order.
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Don't miss this special Christmas offer.
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Welcome back to the program.
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On Monday, we covered a
miraculous place in Bethlehem
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where all of these events took place.
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On Tuesday, we covered the subject, Why did God choose Mary?
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On Wednesday, we answered the question,
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Why did God choose Joseph?
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Yesterday we looked at the questions,
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What are swaddling clothes and what is a manger?
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And today we're gonna finish the week by looking at
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that holy moment when all of this occurred in
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that cave in Bethlehem so long ago.
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And we're going to begin in John 3:19,
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where the Bible says - Light came into the
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world. Say - Amen.
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This explains why Origen
the great theologian
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and great scholar in the year 248
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AD, wrote these words -
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At Bethlehem is the cave
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where people first saw the light.
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It took place in that cave
in Bethlehem, which was used
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as a stable or as a barn.
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But over the past 2000 years,
the Church of the Nativity
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and that cave, which is underneath it, have undergone many,
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many modifications.
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But this miracle, the incarnation, really took place there
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that day, 2000 years ago.
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And for 2000 years,
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believers have been celebrating the birth
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of Jesus when God almighty
laid aside his glory
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to appear temporarily on earth as a man.
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How wonderful, how
marvelous it is to think
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that God momentarily
discarded his divine outward
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attributes to appear as a man.
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And that is what occurred when
Jesus was born in that cave.
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Wow! This is called the miracle
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of the incarnation:
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a word which describes the mystery
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of when the word became flesh
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and dwelt among us, which is
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what we read in John 1:14.
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But the early church Father, Irenaneus, used the Greek word
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karkousthai, to describe that divine moment.
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And this word was also used by the council of Nicaea,
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to describe the word becoming flesh in the person
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of Jesus Christ.
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Early church Fathers Jerome and Ambrose
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later used the Latin word,
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incarnatio, to describe
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that moment when the word became incarnate
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or when the word was made flesh.
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And since that time it's been referred to
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as the incarnation, but from their time until ours,
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this word incarnation is used
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to depict the moment when God became flesh,
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when God assumed a human nature
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and became a man in the
person of Jesus Christ
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who was the Son of God.
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And the foundational Christian doctrine holds
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that the divine nature of the Son
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of God was perfectly united with human nature in one person,
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and Jesus was both fully God and fully human.
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The incarnation is
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that moment when God took
upon himself the physical form
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of human likeness.
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That is the miracle of Christmas -
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that's what it's all about.
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When Jesus was born, this unprecedented miracle took place,
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and it's amazing to me that
as animals moved about in
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that cave, they were totally unaware
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that the creator had been born among them.
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The space was filled with noisy sounds
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and perhaps even with other travelers who were staying there
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because they too could
find no room in the end.
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And as the animals and
the others were mulling
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around making all kinds of noise,
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suddenly they could hear the
sounds of a little baby crying
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and they had no idea that God
had entered their world in
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that cave in the form of a small child.
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That truly is the miracle
that took place in that holy,
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holy moment.
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But in John 1:1,
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the Bible tells us about Jesus in his preexistence
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before he came to the earth.
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It says - In the beginning was the word
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and the word was with God, and the word was God.
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The word - word is used 3 times in this verse,
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and each time that it's used, it's a reference
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to Christ in his pre-incarnate existence.
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And in fact, John writes the word was with God.
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The Greek actually says prostongthaon....
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It means the word was
face-to-face with God.
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It portrays the picture of Jesus
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and the Father so close to each other.
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They can nearly feel each
other's breath breathing upon
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each other's face.
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It really shows us intimacy
among members of the Godhead.
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And it tells us that when
Jesus was born in Bethlehem,
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it was not his beginning.
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It was simply his manifestation.
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Furthermore, it tells us
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that Jesus is not just
a mere component of God
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or a symbol of God, but
in fact Jesus is God.
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Some people feel it's
blasphemous to say that,
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but that's really the truth.
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Jesus is God.
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You should simply say Jesus is God.
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And like the Father always existed, Jesus
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who is called the word always existed.
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And this is why John 1:3 continues
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to say all things were made by him
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and without him was not
anything that was made,
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which means Jesus is not only
God, Jesus is the creator.
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All things were made by
him. That is amazing.
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The Apostle Paul repeated this truth in Colossians 1:
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16, when he wrote - For by him - that is by Jesus -
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all things were created that are in heaven
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and that are on earth
visible and invisible.
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All things were created by him
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and for him, which means Jesus is God
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and Jesus is the creator.
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But it is amazing that John 1:11 says He was in the world
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and the world was made by him
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and the world knew him not.
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That means when Jesus came
into the very world which he
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created, the people he
created did not recognize him
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due to the fact that he
appeared in such human form.
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What makes this more even amazing to me is
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that when Jesus spoke to the wind,
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the wind recognized the voice of the creator
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and obeyed. The wind knew who he was.
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When Jesus spoke to the waves,
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the waves recognized
the voice of the creator
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and the waves obeyed.
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When Jesus saw the multitude was hungry
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and he needed to multiply loaves
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and fishes to feed them, the atomic particles in those food
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substances recognized the voice of the creator
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and multiplied as he miraculously multiplied them
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so he could distribute
them to all the people.
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And when Jesus spoke to
the fruitless fig tree,
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it recognized the voice of the creator
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and withered at its
roots as he commanded it.
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When Jesus needed to get to his disciples
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who were out at sea being
battered by a storm,
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the water recognized it was the creator,
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and the atomic particles in
the water solidified for him
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to walk on the water that he had created.
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Isn't that amazing?
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People did not know him,
but creation knew him
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and responded to his command.
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But in John 1:14, we are told -
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And the word - that is Christ in his preexistence form - was
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made flesh and dwelt among us.
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That's what happened
when Jesus was born in
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that holy moment, in that
cave that is the incarnation.
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The word dwelt is a Greek
word which describes a tent
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or a tabernacle,
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and it literally means that
Jesus physical body became the
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tent that God lived in
during his earthly life.
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God literally pitched a tent
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of flesh then took upon himself human flesh in the form
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of Jesus Christ and tabernacle himself among us
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for 33 temporary years.
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When Mary - now listen to this - when Mary pushed
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for her baby to be born,
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God himself entered the earthly realm he
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had created.
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It's almost incomprehensible,
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but God Almighty reached
into the material world
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that he created and
clothed himself in flesh
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as he grew in the womb of the virgin Mary,
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00:13:16.540 --> 00:13:21.540
and finally was birthed temporarily into the human
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race. My friends, that is what occurred in
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that holy moment in that cave.
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Paul describes this miracle marvelously in Philippians
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2:6 and 7.
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Listen to this - Who being in the form
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of God thought it not
robbery to be equal with God,
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but made himself of no reputation
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and took upon himself
the form of a servant
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and was made in the likeness of men.
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Well, in the King James
version, the very first part
281
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of verse six is a little
hard to understand.
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00:13:52.420 --> 00:13:54.220
It says who being in the form of God;
283
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but those words - who being - is from a Greek word,
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which describes one who
has eternally existed;
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00:14:00.430 --> 00:14:05.200
though he eternally existed in the form of God.
286
00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:08.560
That word, form, describes an outward form, which means
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that in Jesus' preexistence,
he looked just like God.
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Again. He was not a component of God.
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He was not a symbol of God. Jesus is God.
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That's quite a revelation.
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Just say that - Jesus is God. My friend,
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that is who Jesus is.
293
00:14:28.060 --> 00:14:31.750
And as the eternal God, in his preexistence,
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he possessed the outward appearance
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00:14:34.300 --> 00:14:37.510
and the glorious presence
that is so indicative of God
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so great that humans cannot endure it and to come to earth
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God made a decision to re-clothe himself
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in a manner that could be tolerated by a man.
299
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And that's why he took
upon the form of a servant
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00:14:53.210 --> 00:14:56.630
and made himself of no reputation
301
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and was made in the likeness of men.
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00:14:59.900 --> 00:15:04.040
Notice the verse says, made himself of no reputation.
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The Greek word that is
used here is very important
304
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because it means to make
empty, to evacuate, to vacate,
305
00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:15.290
to deprive...to divest or to relinquish.
306
00:15:15.290 --> 00:15:17.060
And it literally means
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00:15:17.060 --> 00:15:19.430
because it was impossible for God to appear
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00:15:19.430 --> 00:15:21.650
to man in all of his glory,
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00:15:21.650 --> 00:15:24.620
God temporarily let go of all
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00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:28.580
of his outward attributes, all of his splendorous glory,
311
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and reclothe himself for 33 years.
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In Philippians 2:7 says
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00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:38.510
that re clothing, he took upon himself the form
314
00:15:38.510 --> 00:15:42.410
of a servant. Took upon him is from a Greek word which means
315
00:15:42.410 --> 00:15:45.950
to reach out and lay hold of and to take upon yourself.
316
00:15:45.950 --> 00:15:49.430
And we find that God reached
into the material world
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00:15:49.430 --> 00:15:53.690
that he created - that is amazing - laid hold of flesh,
318
00:15:53.690 --> 00:15:58.550
dressed himself in it,
took upon human flesh
319
00:15:58.550 --> 00:16:01.400
and appeared in the form of a servant.
320
00:16:01.400 --> 00:16:04.220
The word form, is the same Greek word which was used
321
00:16:04.220 --> 00:16:06.980
to describe Jesus in his preexistence
322
00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:08.450
as being in the form of God.
323
00:16:08.450 --> 00:16:10.370
In every way He was just like God.
324
00:16:10.370 --> 00:16:14.600
But now he's taken upon
himself the form of a servant,
325
00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:18.560
which means he took upon himself in every way the likeness
326
00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:19.940
of a human being.
327
00:16:19.940 --> 00:16:23.120
And the verse says, the form of a servant;
328
00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:25.130
and even this is so very important
329
00:16:25.130 --> 00:16:27.800
because it is the Greek word dolos.
330
00:16:27.800 --> 00:16:30.170
The word dolos is the Greek word
331
00:16:30.170 --> 00:16:34.010
for the lowest level servant,
one who is swallowed up
332
00:16:34.010 --> 00:16:35.990
to do the will of his master.
333
00:16:35.990 --> 00:16:39.140
So we find that God left his
eternal realms came into the
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00:16:39.140 --> 00:16:40.220
earth in human flesh,
335
00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:42.980
which he created clothing himself in it
336
00:16:42.980 --> 00:16:46.670
and became a servant to
do what he was sent to do.
337
00:16:46.670 --> 00:16:49.520
That is amazing. Jesus was willing
338
00:16:49.520 --> 00:16:53.030
to do whatever the father
would require of him,
339
00:16:53.030 --> 00:16:57.770
including a sacrificial death
on the cross, which is really
340
00:16:57.770 --> 00:16:59.810
what Christmas is all about.
341
00:16:59.810 --> 00:17:01.700
But then when you come to Philippians 2:
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00:17:01.700 --> 00:17:06.050
7, it says, he was made in the likeness of men.
343
00:17:06.050 --> 00:17:09.080
Notice those words - he was made.
344
00:17:09.080 --> 00:17:13.460
Those words, was made, describes the miracle
345
00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:16.340
of Christmas. When he was made,
346
00:17:16.340 --> 00:17:20.330
literally formed in the womb of the Virgin Mary
347
00:17:20.330 --> 00:17:23.210
and was made a little baby,
348
00:17:23.210 --> 00:17:25.430
he was made a man.
349
00:17:25.430 --> 00:17:30.320
That occurred in Luke 1:38, when Mary said
350
00:17:30.320 --> 00:17:33.650
to the angel Gabriel, be it unto me according
351
00:17:33.650 --> 00:17:36.710
to thy word and which she agreed with God, boom.
352
00:17:36.710 --> 00:17:40.940
In that moment, she conceived
the son of God in her womb
353
00:17:40.940 --> 00:17:43.820
and he was made inside her.
354
00:17:43.820 --> 00:17:46.370
These words - was made -
355
00:17:46.370 --> 00:17:50.520
indicates this was not Jesus' original form,
356
00:17:50.520 --> 00:17:54.240
but it became his new form
when God literally took upon
357
00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:57.240
himself the likeness of man.
358
00:17:57.240 --> 00:18:00.270
Even the word likeness
is so very important
359
00:18:00.270 --> 00:18:02.760
because in the original
language, it refers to a form
360
00:18:02.760 --> 00:18:04.320
or even a resemblance.
361
00:18:04.320 --> 00:18:08.400
He took upon himself the
resemblance of a human being.
362
00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:11.940
It doesn't just refer to
human outward resemblance,
363
00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:16.530
but even human likeness
of men, which means
364
00:18:16.530 --> 00:18:20.190
when Jesus appeared on the earth, he came in the actual form
365
00:18:20.190 --> 00:18:25.140
of a man and was just
like man in every way.
366
00:18:25.140 --> 00:18:28.440
So when the God the Father
sent Jesus into the world,
367
00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:33.440
Jesus left his heavenly home,
took upon himself human flesh
368
00:18:33.600 --> 00:18:36.840
and because of this amazing great exchange,
369
00:18:36.840 --> 00:18:41.220
Jesus has stood in our place,
Jesus has felt what we feel.
370
00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:44.160
Jesus is touched with the
feeling of our infirmities,
371
00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.550
and he intercedes for
us with great compassion
372
00:18:47.550 --> 00:18:49.350
as our great high priest.
373
00:18:49.350 --> 00:18:54.060
And this is why Hebrews 4:15 says, For we
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00:18:54.060 --> 00:18:56.430
have not a high priest which cannot be touched
375
00:18:56.430 --> 00:18:58.020
with the feelings of our infirmities,
376
00:18:58.020 --> 00:19:02.160
but was in all points tempted like as we are
377
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:05.340
yet he was without sin. And friend,
378
00:19:05.340 --> 00:19:08.820
it means Jesus understands
379
00:19:08.820 --> 00:19:11.250
because he has experienced every emotion
380
00:19:11.250 --> 00:19:12.600
and every temptation you
381
00:19:12.600 --> 00:19:15.840
and I have ever faced in our
life, he has faced it all.
382
00:19:15.840 --> 00:19:17.730
Yet he never fell into sin.
383
00:19:17.730 --> 00:19:21.990
And that is why Hebrews 4:16 says to us - Come boldly
384
00:19:21.990 --> 00:19:26.070
therefore to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
385
00:19:26.070 --> 00:19:30.120
and find grace to help in time of need.
386
00:19:30.120 --> 00:19:31.770
But wait, there's something else you need
387
00:19:31.770 --> 00:19:35.040
to understand from Philippians 2:8,
388
00:19:35.040 --> 00:19:40.040
where Paul says - And being found in fashion as a man,
389
00:19:40.080 --> 00:19:41.580
he humbled himself
390
00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:44.730
and became obedient unto death, even the death
391
00:19:44.730 --> 00:19:46.950
of the cross.
392
00:19:46.950 --> 00:19:50.640
But notice it says in being
found in fashion as a man.
393
00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:53.340
That word, fashion, is the Greek word schema,
394
00:19:53.340 --> 00:19:55.290
which is borrowed from a very ancient,
395
00:19:55.290 --> 00:19:57.030
ancient story of a king.
396
00:19:58.290 --> 00:20:01.350
And the king every day wanted
to walk among his people
397
00:20:01.350 --> 00:20:03.210
and experience his
people, but he could not
398
00:20:03.210 --> 00:20:06.060
because he was the king,
he would be mobbed.
399
00:20:06.060 --> 00:20:09.180
And every day the king would
lean across the railing on his
400
00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:12.570
balcony and would look out into the streets of his kingdom
401
00:20:12.570 --> 00:20:15.510
and just wish that he could walk among his people
402
00:20:15.510 --> 00:20:17.130
and experience his people.
403
00:20:17.130 --> 00:20:18.930
And one day the king got an idea.
404
00:20:18.930 --> 00:20:20.610
I know what I'll do.
405
00:20:20.610 --> 00:20:24.030
During the night when nobody's noticing, I'm gonna take off
406
00:20:24.030 --> 00:20:26.580
all my kingly garments
407
00:20:26.580 --> 00:20:29.520
and I'm going to trade them
for the garments of a beggar.
408
00:20:29.520 --> 00:20:31.550
I'm gonna secretly slip out
409
00:20:31.550 --> 00:20:33.360
of my palace into the streets.
410
00:20:33.360 --> 00:20:37.950
Nobody will know who I am,
and I can walk among my people
411
00:20:37.950 --> 00:20:39.210
and experience them.
412
00:20:39.210 --> 00:20:42.210
That is the word schema,
which is translated
413
00:20:42.210 --> 00:20:45.180
as the word fashion in Philippians
414
00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:46.440
2:8.
415
00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:49.030
And this imagery in this
verse is very important
416
00:20:49.030 --> 00:20:51.670
because it tells us God knew,
417
00:20:51.670 --> 00:20:55.270
because his presence was so
glorious he couldn't walk
418
00:20:55.270 --> 00:20:57.070
among men because it would be too great
419
00:20:57.070 --> 00:20:58.600
for their flesh to endure.
420
00:20:58.600 --> 00:21:01.840
But because God wanted to be
among his people, God said,
421
00:21:01.840 --> 00:21:03.430
here's what I'm going to do.
422
00:21:03.430 --> 00:21:05.260
I'm gonna trade my clothes.
423
00:21:05.260 --> 00:21:07.450
I'm going to temporarily divest myself
424
00:21:07.450 --> 00:21:10.180
of all this outward splendoris glory,
425
00:21:10.180 --> 00:21:13.030
I'm going to assume human flesh, show up in the human
426
00:21:13.030 --> 00:21:14.680
race as a baby.
427
00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:16.540
And that's what he did.
428
00:21:16.540 --> 00:21:21.540
And for 33 years, Jesus exchanged his glory
429
00:21:21.670 --> 00:21:23.650
for the clothes of a human being
430
00:21:23.650 --> 00:21:28.000
and lived among us. Out of his deep love for you,
431
00:21:28.840 --> 00:21:31.240
out of his profound love for me,
432
00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:35.440
he was willing to leave the
majestic realms of glory
433
00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:38.440
and enter the realm of humanity.
434
00:21:38.440 --> 00:21:41.680
That's amazing, my friend.
That is just amazing.
435
00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:44.500
And then when you come to Philippians 2:
436
00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:48.040
5, Paul says this in response to all of that -
437
00:21:48.040 --> 00:21:52.690
Let this mind be in you which
was also in Christ Jesus,
438
00:21:52.690 --> 00:21:57.580
which means - just like God was willing to be humble,
439
00:21:57.580 --> 00:22:00.520
just like God was willing to do whatever he had to do
440
00:22:00.520 --> 00:22:05.110
to serve us, to save us, to change us, we need to be willing
441
00:22:05.110 --> 00:22:07.930
to lay aside our pride, our arrogance,
442
00:22:07.930 --> 00:22:11.140
and be whatever we need to
be to reach other people
443
00:22:11.140 --> 00:22:13.000
who really need help.
444
00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:15.490
We need to be willing to lay it all aside
445
00:22:15.490 --> 00:22:18.370
and esteem others better than ourself.
446
00:22:18.370 --> 00:22:20.650
This is what Jesus did for us,
447
00:22:20.650 --> 00:22:24.880
and this is what we are
commanded to do for others.
448
00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:28.660
Wow! But in the next program, which is on Monday,
449
00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:33.250
we're going to find out
exactly who were the shepherds
450
00:22:33.250 --> 00:22:36.700
that the angels appeared to when Jesus was born.
451
00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:40.270
Why did the angels appear to this particular group
452
00:22:40.270 --> 00:22:41.290
of shepherds when there were
453
00:22:41.290 --> 00:22:43.240
so many shepherds in the land of Israel?
454
00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:46.660
Why this group of shepherds?
It's going to be marvelous -
455
00:22:46.660 --> 00:22:50.560
don't miss it. But hey, I'll be back in just a moment
456
00:22:50.560 --> 00:22:51.970
and I am going to pray for you.
457
00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:04.090
This is Rick Renner, and someone has asked the question -
458
00:23:04.090 --> 00:23:08.110
How old was the Virgin Mary when she conceived in her
459
00:23:08.110 --> 00:23:09.940
womb, Jesus?
460
00:23:09.940 --> 00:23:12.790
Well, there are different opinions about that,
461
00:23:12.790 --> 00:23:17.560
but she was probably between the age of 12 and 14 years old.
462
00:23:17.560 --> 00:23:20.710
And of course, we read about this event in Luke 1:
463
00:23:20.710 --> 00:23:22.480
26, which says,
464
00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:23.650
And in the 6th month,
465
00:23:23.650 --> 00:23:26.650
the angel Gabriel was
sent from God unto a city
466
00:23:26.650 --> 00:23:29.650
of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin,
467
00:23:29.650 --> 00:23:32.770
espoused unto a man whose name was Joseph of a house
468
00:23:32.770 --> 00:23:36.520
of David, and the Virgin's name was Mary.
469
00:23:36.520 --> 00:23:40.840
She was probably between
12 and 14 years old.
470
00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:42.850
And that explains why she was
471
00:23:42.850 --> 00:23:46.070
so stunned when Gabriel
showed up in her house
472
00:23:46.070 --> 00:23:49.400
and said she was going to
conceive the son of God.
473
00:23:49.400 --> 00:23:52.100
She was shocked. She did not expect this.
474
00:23:52.100 --> 00:23:56.180
She was just a young girl
between 12 and 14 years old.
475
00:23:56.180 --> 00:23:58.310
What an unlikely choice.
476
00:23:58.310 --> 00:24:01.010
But God loved to choose unlikely people,
477
00:24:01.010 --> 00:24:02.450
and that's good news
478
00:24:02.450 --> 00:24:04.910
because he wants to choose you.
479
00:24:04.910 --> 00:24:07.070
Do you really know the story of Christmas?
480
00:24:07.070 --> 00:24:09.290
Is there more to the story about the birth
481
00:24:09.290 --> 00:24:11.600
of our savior than what you've been told? In this
482
00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:12.650
series, Christmas -
483
00:24:12.650 --> 00:24:15.620
The Rest of the Story, Rick Renner dives deep into the parts
484
00:24:15.620 --> 00:24:18.380
of the Christmas story that
most people have never heard.
485
00:24:18.380 --> 00:24:21.410
Rick says, I've studied
this story for decades
486
00:24:21.410 --> 00:24:24.560
and I found fabulous treasures
no one ever shared with me.
487
00:24:24.560 --> 00:24:27.410
In this series, we explore the Bible, history,
488
00:24:27.410 --> 00:24:28.640
historical writings,
489
00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:32.120
and so much more so we can really understand all the events
490
00:24:32.120 --> 00:24:34.610
that took place surrounding the birth of Jesus.
491
00:24:34.610 --> 00:24:37.880
Rick answers questions like - Why did God choose Mary?
492
00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:39.800
Was Joseph really a carpenter?
493
00:24:39.800 --> 00:24:42.770
Why was Herod so troubled by Jesus's birth?
494
00:24:42.770 --> 00:24:44.150
Who were the Magi
495
00:24:44.150 --> 00:24:46.820
and what was the estimated value of their gifts?
496
00:24:46.820 --> 00:24:50.300
This 15-part documentary type series is available in digital
497
00:24:50.300 --> 00:24:53.690
or physical format, starting at just $24.
498
00:24:53.690 --> 00:24:56.360
And we are excited to also offer you Rick's stunning new
499
00:24:56.360 --> 00:24:58.790
book, Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
500
00:24:58.790 --> 00:25:00.650
It's a book you'll want
to share with friends
501
00:25:00.650 --> 00:25:02.630
and family at this time of the year.
502
00:25:02.630 --> 00:25:06.560
This hardcover 300 page fully
illustrated book is a keepsake
503
00:25:06.560 --> 00:25:09.980
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pass on to future generations.
504
00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:13.010
Don't miss this special offer, the series, Christmas,
505
00:25:13.010 --> 00:25:14.210
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506
00:25:14.210 --> 00:25:17.450
and the beautiful book, Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
507
00:25:17.450 --> 00:25:18.920
Call the number on your screen now
508
00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:20.780
or go to renner.org to order.
509
00:25:20.780 --> 00:25:22.220
Call or go online now.
510
00:25:24.290 --> 00:25:26.540
Today we've been
looking at the holy moment
511
00:25:26.540 --> 00:25:29.930
that occurred in that cave in
Bethlehem when Jesus was born
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2000 years ago when the
incarnation took place.
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Wow, it is so marvelous.
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But on Monday, we're gonna consider who were the shepherds
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that the angels appeared to
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and why did the angels appear to
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that one particular group of shepherds?
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There were shepherds all over Israel.
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00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:51.830
Was there a reason that the
angels chose this particular
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group of shepherds?
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I think you'll be surprised
when you hear the answer.
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But we're offering you today
my brand new series called
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00:26:00.320 --> 00:26:02.270
Christmas, The Rest of the Story.
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00:26:02.270 --> 00:26:05.390
It's 15-parts, it comes in multiple formats.
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00:26:05.390 --> 00:26:08.510
The subtitle says, Amazing Insights about Christmas
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00:26:08.510 --> 00:26:10.490
that you've never heard before,
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00:26:10.490 --> 00:26:13.610
and it comes with this great study guide so you can read all
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00:26:13.610 --> 00:26:16.430
of this while you're seeing it or hearing it.
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00:26:16.430 --> 00:26:19.070
And today we're also offering you my book,
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00:26:19.070 --> 00:26:21.080
which is called Christmas, the Rest
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00:26:21.080 --> 00:26:23.360
of the Story. It's a hardback,
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00:26:23.360 --> 00:26:27.770
it is fully illustrated. Every single page is full color.
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00:26:27.770 --> 00:26:31.010
To help you step into this story, we hired
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00:26:31.010 --> 00:26:34.070
and illustrator just for you so
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00:26:34.070 --> 00:26:37.490
that you can see on the pages
of this book, everything
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00:26:37.490 --> 00:26:39.830
that I'm teaching in this new series.
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00:26:39.830 --> 00:26:43.530
So please go online or give
us a call to order all things
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00:26:43.530 --> 00:26:46.020
and let us know how to pray for you.
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00:26:46.020 --> 00:26:49.920
But Father, we thank you
that you loved us so much.
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00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:52.830
You were willing to temporarily inconvenience yourself
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to take on human flesh and live among us for 33 years.
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00:26:57.780 --> 00:27:01.500
Wow. Help us to have that same attitude, Lord,
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00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:03.840
that we would lay aside our pride, our arrogance,
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00:27:03.840 --> 00:27:07.590
or anything we need to lay
aside so that we can reach out
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00:27:07.590 --> 00:27:09.390
and do something good for somebody else.
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00:27:09.390 --> 00:27:13.770
Let us have this mind which was also in Christ Jesus.
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00:27:13.770 --> 00:27:18.270
In Jesus name. Amen. I'll see you Monday.
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00:27:18.270 --> 00:27:20.700
But remember Ecclesiastes 8:4,
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00:27:20.700 --> 00:27:25.080
it says, "Where the word of the king is, there is power."
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00:27:25.080 --> 00:27:27.390
If you've never received Jesus as your Savior
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00:27:27.390 --> 00:27:31.740
and Lord, now is the time for
you to experience a new life
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00:27:31.740 --> 00:27:33.900
Jesus has to give you.
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00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:37.980
Pray this prayer with me right now - Lord,
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00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:42.000
I repent of my sin and
receive you as my Savior
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00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:44.970
and Lord. Wash away my sin
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00:27:44.970 --> 00:27:47.970
and make me completely new.
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00:27:47.970 --> 00:27:51.780
I thank you that my sin is removed
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00:27:51.780 --> 00:27:56.780
and Satan no longer has any
right to lay claim on me.
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00:27:57.360 --> 00:28:01.320
I faithfully promise that
I will serve you as my Lord
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00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:03.000
for the rest of my life
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00:28:03.870 --> 00:28:08.670
Amen. If you just
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00:28:08.670 --> 00:28:10.830
prayed the prayer of salvation with us,
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00:28:10.830 --> 00:28:12.750
would you please let us know by going
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00:28:12.750 --> 00:28:15.750
to renner.org/salvation?
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00:28:15.750 --> 00:28:17.460
We would love to connect with you.
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00:28:18.510 --> 00:28:20.580
Thank you for joining Rick Renner today.
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00:28:20.580 --> 00:28:22.860
For more information about Renner Ministries
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00:28:22.860 --> 00:28:25.770
and product resources, visit renner.org.